“That is the ultimate question that needs to be answered when you see a hyperhidrosis specialist”, said Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, a plastic surgeon in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, CA. Dr. Raffy, as he is called affectionately by his patients sees a large number of patients with hyperhidrosis in the Los Angeles area. He says that “as much as 4% of the population has hyperhidrosis” but some studies “realistically show that 1.2% of the general population has hyperhidrosis”. The question therefore is to know which of these patients have primary hyperhidrosis and which have secondary hyperhidrosis. Primary hyperhidrosis is idiopathic and involves primarily the head, underarms, palms and feet or “any combination thereof” says Dr. Raffy. Primary hyperhidrosis is not associated with any underlying medical disorders, as in secondary hyperhidrosis, which is “secondary” to some underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic infection, thyroid disorder, cancer, sarcoidosis or others. In a typical week, Dr. Raffy sees a dozen patients with hyperhidrosis and says that he “cannot overemphasize the need to thoroughly evaluate these patients” who are in desperate need of treatment. “Once secondary causes are eliminated, treatment is individualized and an algorhythm is used to figure out what each patient needs, whether it is medication, Botox, suction curettage or Endoscopic thoracic Sympathectomy”.

Dr. Raffy was also interviewed for an article about hyperhidrosis in Nail Pro Magazine in 2008.

 

For more information about hyperhidrosis and its treatments, contact Dr. Raffy at www.KareMD.com and Dr. Hratch Karamanoukian at the Center for Excessive Sweating at www.EliminateSweating.com